Yes, Another "I'm Moving" thread..Sequim/Port Townsend areas.. info pls (Seattle: sales, real estate)

[RachelSent]

We are looking at Sequim, Port Townsend and surrounds to move to. We will be heading that way in Feb 2013 to look around at areas etc.

A couple of questions:

Suggestions for real estate agents you've used and been happy with? Ones that you can actually talk to and wont just send you every listing just because it is there.

What is the art scene like in the different areas? (Husband is artist, I am a gallery director).

Neighborhoods/areas to look at for non-conventional homes? (We like the oddball houses - no track houses)

Are there areas we should not be looking at?

Best cellphone carrier in area?

Best internet service provider for area?

Any help would be appreciated.

Rachel

[rockyinyourradio]

Originally Posted by RachelSent

We are looking at Sequim, Port Townsend and surrounds to move to. We will be heading that way in Feb 2013 to look around at areas etc.

A couple of questions:

Suggestions for real estate agents you've used and been happy with? Ones that you can actually talk to and wont just send you every listing just because it is there.

What is the art scene like in the different areas? (Husband is artist, I am a gallery director).

Neighborhoods/areas to look at for non-conventional homes? (We like the oddball houses - no track houses)

Are there areas we should not be looking at?

Best cellphone carrier in area?

Best internet service provider for area?

Any help would be appreciated.

Rachel

Hey Rachel, I'm not from WA. state, but I've visited and know enough about the area so hopefully I can help a little.
There is a person on here named Ira500 who is a realtor and knows volumes about these areas in question.. hopefully he can help. I can tell you that Sequim most likely is a little cheaper than Port Townsend unless you get a place on the hills south of town, the views are jaw dropping but so are the prices. The art scene is more readily apparent in Port Townsend and is a gorgeous place, a little pricey depending on where you want to live. Sequim is more of an older/retired population but still alot of younger folk there too. I would check Port Townsend first!! Both are great places though and very picturesque. The weather is a little sunnier in Sequim as they are in the rain shadow area of the Olympics. I'm not knowledgeable on your other questions concerning internet or cell phone. Hope this helps a little.

[Hemlock140]

Port Townsend and Sequim are both far less expensive than Seattle and the Eastside, with older homes/mobiles on acreage still available. Port Townsend is by far better for art than Sequim, and Port Angeles is also better for art. Port Townsend also has many old historic buildings while Sequim has a few but also many more tract homes and senior housing that has sprung up in the last 10 years to meet the demand of retirees from CA. All of these areas depend upon tourism, and it's limited to
mostly the spring-fall, and Port Townsend suffers the most in the off-season because it's so far out of the way by road, and the ferry from Coupeville is cut back due to a lack of tourists on Whidbey Island using it in winter. All of these areas have internet, the one I'm familiar with is Olypen, and it seems to be just fine. It's been my experience that Verizon Wireless has the most reliable connection in the area, I have had several other carriers that lost service once off the
main roads.

[rainforest338]

Verizon tends to be the best cell carrier for the area, and Wave Broadband seems to have the fewest issues for internet. Port Townsend seems like a better art area because of how compact the area is--even if something is 'outside of town' it is off of one of two roads. Sequim is spread out, so eventhough there is a big art scene, it is ranging from hill-tops to the strait to the town to an old farm, etc--all spread radially. Port Townsend seems like it/may costs more--they typically like to raise or establish new taxes for projects. Sequim tends to be a 'tight' area, lots of people retired there from CA because their money will go farther, and tend to offer resistance to tax increases. Port Townsend tends to have a very liberal mindset and Sequim is a bit more conservative (although it might be viewed as liberal from someone from MS or TX). Kind of gives an idea of how the communities differ.
I'd have to say to talk to Windermere for Real Estate agencies.
As for areas to avoid??? The mill area in PT, or within a few blocks of Washington Street in Sequim (i.e. Half Block)--more of the crime/drugs.
I don't know of any track home neighborhoods in the area (other than some assisted type retirement home areas)--well PT does have an old Victorian thing going. Sequim area is mostly oddball homes--some of the neighborhoods actually look kind of bad(???) because of the jumble of different styles of homes. One area I'm thinking of has a San Francisco style home that is huge and painted lavendar next to a log cabin, next to a mediterranean style, next to a ranch style, etc....

[Ira500]

Uptown Port Townsend is far enough away from the paper mill to be less affected, has some cool looking old houses, and has a movie theatre that has an annual film festival.

[RachelSent]

Thank you all for your responses! We will be staying in Sequim near the bay for a week in February with the hopes of being able to see a number of places and choosing the area we want to move to. Are the areas around Sequim Bay rather 'resorty'?

[rainforest338]

I can't think of any resorts on Sequim Bay....yet. The Jamestown tribe has plans to build a resort, I believe near John Wayne Marina. I've heard it might be as high as 10 stories...restaurant/lounge/100 rooms. Just what I've heard. The area is mostly nice waterfront homes on the east, then some older homes on the south (they should be starting a tideland restoration project for salmon on the south stretch soon), then the marina, some more homes, then a large stretch is occupied by a national lab, followed by a county park and beach, to be finished off by homes on the bluff in Jamestown. It's kind of a quiet recreational area...kayaking and beachwalking, boats at the marina, biking and jogging on the Discovery Trail that runs just to the south. Across from the highway is Sequim Bay Lodge which is standard road motel and also a tribal center and Indian casino.
The next bay over (Discovery Bay) has a resort.

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by RachelSent

Thank you all for your responses! We will be staying in Sequim near the bay for a week in February with the hopes of being able to see a number of places and choosing the area we want to move to. Are the areas around Sequim Bay rather 'resorty'?

In February you have a good chance of snow there, especially in the hills on the mountain side of 101. I once got caught and almost had to chain up leaving Sequim around the Hood Canal Bridge. We stayed at a great home on Discovery Bay for a family reunion last summer, there are some really nice homes there and some are owned by people in Seattle area with private planes, and there is a private air strip for them to come over on weekends. We did look at one fixer under $300,000 on the water. John Wayne marina area is a bit like that too, but if you go there there splurge on a dinner at the Dockside Grill at the Marina, great meal, $80-100 for two but worth it. Toward Sequim from there is a cool little B & B in railroad cars.

Redcaboose Getaway a Sequim Bed and Breakfast Olympic Peninsula

[RachelSent]

Rainforest338 - I've been getting listings from zip realty for quite awhile now. Some of the listings are in the Port Ludlow area.... any comments on that area?

Hemlock140 - we looked at the Redcaboose getaway and it looks like a lot of fun... we lucked out and got a really great deal on a place that we couldnt pass up. Thanks for the recommendations!

[rainforest338]

Zip should work too. I mentioned Windermere because they did a decent job for my landlord. Sequim has a bunch of hobby realtors. By this I mean people that have retired and moved to WA, then go take the class and become sales associates (a few become brokers). Most do it kind of as a way to keep working, but on their own schedule--they don't let it impose on all their other hobbies. Most of the folks that were coming around for W were younger and that was their full time job--easy to get a hold of/more initiative.
The caboose gets great reviews, but I did know someone that stayed there in middle of winter and their only complaint was that it got really cold. They said the metal traincars just cool down too quickly. Don't know if they didn't know how to use the stoves or what the story was.
For Port Ludlow, when I lived in Silverdale/Bremerton, many coworkers used to love to go over there for lunch and/or golf. They said the dining was great and the golf course was the best within a few hours and actually cost quite a bit less than the courses near work.